Quantity Surveyor / Cost Estimating FAQ

A Quantity Surveyor (QS) is a qualified expert in construction costs and construction cost management.

A QS typically holds a degree in applied science, construction management, engineering, or construction economics, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS). Their role involves providing advice on construction costs and offering cost management services from project inception to completion and sometimes beyond.

Quantity Surveyors also prepare specialised reports, including council development application (DA) estimates, estimates and QS reports for bank loans, insurance replacement cost estimates and legal reports. 

Additionally, many quantity surveyors work on the construction side as construction estimators, providing cost estimating services.

A Council DA Estimate, also referred to as a 'Registered Quantity Surveyor Detailed Cost Summary Report,' is prepared by a Quantity Surveyor registered with the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS). This estimate is created in a specific format and complies with the regulated requirements of NSW Councils. The report provides an estimated development cost in the format required by the council, enabling them to calculate the applicable fee contributions.  

Regulations stipulate that Quantity Surveyors must prepare these reports and estimates once they exceed a certain development cost threshold.

For more about Council DA Cost Estimating Services and Reports, read our blog.

Certified Quantity Surveyors (CQS) are obligated to adhere to the AIQS Code of Conduct and evaluate all construction cost matters in a fair and impartial manner. This is why banks, local councils, lawyers, and accountants require a CQS to prepare cost reports, estimates, and assessments. CPP Quantity Surveyors do not take sides in any matter; instead, we offer an unbiased opinion based on years of experience gained from hundreds of projects across the country and around the world. 

At CPP Quantity Surveyors, we offer cost estimating services for projects ranging from small home renovations to large commercial developments. No project is too small for us. With our experience gained from providing cost estimating services on several hundred projects, we are well-equipped to handle a wide range of project types and sizes .

Whether you need concept estimating services based on a sketch or detailed pre-tender estimating services, we can tailor our approach to meet your specific requirements.

We have extensive experience in preparing specialist QS reports such as professional or expert opinion reports on the value of work completed to date by a builder, cost to complete reports, insurance rectification estimates and other legal, insurance and accounting reports.

CPP Quantity Surveyors offers a range of other services including QS reports for bank loans, progress claim inspection reports for loan drawdowns, builder's quote and variation reviews, expert reports and a range of other quantity surveying and cost estimating services.

No problem at all. We have experience in most of regional NSW as well as Victoria, Queensland and the ACT. Besides quantity surveyor projects all over the Sydney Metro region, we are currently involved in projects in Southern NSW, NSW South Coast, Riverina, Hunter, Shoalhaven, Mid-North NSW, Canberra, and SE Queensland. For most services such as cost estimating and council DA estimates we don't have to visit your site and can do everything remotely and/or virtually.

As every project is unique, we tailor our fees to suit the project and your requirements. We will generally offer a fixed quote for quantity surveyor or cost estimating services once a scope of service is known. Simple reports such as a Council DA Estimate for a single level residence start at $550.

It depends on the size of the project and what level detail is required in the report, but to give you an idea, a council DA estimate can be prepared in as little as 24 hours (call us if this is required), but our usual  turnaround is 3-5 business days.  Larger detailed cost estimating services or quantity surveyor tasks can take longer. Timing will be confirmed in our fee proposal. Let us know if you require your report urgently and we'll try to expedite it for you.

We sure do. It is important to protect your investment and ensure you have adequate insurance for your building in the event of a disaster. Our estimate cover the cost of preparing the site, redesign, fees and like-for-like rebuilding of your building.

Unfortunately, we no longer offer this service.